Algolia geocoding doesn\'t work for Australia

[nbdr]

Hi there,

I’ve been trying to use the mashup maps with leaflet maps, which I can get to work, but whenever I search to add a marker, or search for an area. It’s not bringing up the right information. This is relevant to Algolia’s geocoding … Try and search for “Kallangur, Queensland, Australia” and it wants to bring up “Caboolture, Australia” which is a suburb to our north… Is it possible for you to switch to using geonames or another provider? Does MapBox provide such a service? Without this functionality I cannot use Mappress Pro 🙁

[Chris]

Hi,

MapPress uses Algolia if you’re using the Leaflet engine, and Google geocoding if you’re using Google.

So, the easy asnwer is to switch to Google and use their geocoding.

Both services provide a way for you to report errors, and I think they’re botth pretty good about correcting them.

With that said, I’m confused about where the problem lies. When I type ‘Kallangur’ (by itself) into both Google Maps and Leaflet, they come up with a marker in almost exactly the same place (near the intersection of Anzac Ave and Old Gympie Road).

I also got the same location on openstreetmaps (on which Algolia is based), and geonames returns (-27.25204, 152.99226) which is the same.

[nbdr]

Hi Chris,

For some searches it works, but in Australia, “Caboolture” is not a city. The problem that I see is that Algolia is adding a city when it doesn’t need to. A suburb name can on exist once in an Australian State or Territory. Another example search:

“Station St, Petrie, Queensland”

Whenever I try and search that, it drops me at Station Street, Caboolture, Queensland. If you search for the same in Google, you will find there is a Station Street in Petrie.. I fear that these kinds of problems may well occur a lot in Australian searchs using Algolia.

As for using Google to do the searches, it’s cost prohibitive. I paid for mappress because it allows me to use leaflet maps. But the corresponding search isn’t working. However when I’ve used geonames, and mapbox search facilities, they give the correct results…. What is Algolia doing differently?

Thanks for responding Chris, it is greatly appreciated!

Regards,
Cameron

[Chris]

Hi,

I’m sorry, but there’s no way for me to know what Algolia’s algorithm might be.
You’ll need to contact their tech support to ask. They do seem to respond to queries, and I can see what you mean – openstreetmaps.org (on which Algolia is based) doesn’t return ‘Caboolture’ in the name, although the resulting location seems to be the same.

[nbdr]

Hi Chris,

Ok, so now we know there are issues with Algolia’s search, and in the interim while they sort it out after I start asking questions (if they chose to), is there not a chance you could include alternate geocoding sites? Such as mapbox, which when I’ve tested, does indeed give the correct results. It would definitely be appreciated. Thank you.

[Author]

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